Strength of the Heart
by Drawberry3
Summary: Manga Spoilers ahead "Real strength is strength of the heart. Men who for what they believe in, will keep putting one foot in front of the other chipping away at progress. That is the kinda man I'm into." or so Kohaku says. This is my take on the aftermath of the Treasure Island arc.


Manga spoilers ahead

This is my take on the aftermath of Treasure Island Arc.

* * *

She was petrified, literally speaking.

It was odd to stay still for so long and the darkness that it came with only furthered her displeasure. Nevertheless, Kohaku was certain that it was only a matter of time before Senku and the others would depetrify them. She hoped that Amaryllis was able to catch wind of her plan and took the opportunity to escape.

_Ginro will be saved, there's no doubt about it_. She thinks, having nothing else to do.

The woman remembered Senku's detailed explanation as to how he survived Tsukasa's attack despite dying. Some of which she had not fully comprehended but she distinctly recalled that being petrified had regenerative abilities.

He also mentioned something about fading consciousness, so to prevent that she spent the time thinking and thinking-trying hard not to fall asleep. Then suddenly, she felt the sweet release of freedom. When Kohaku came to-she was surprised to see Ginro all up on her face, crying like a baby.

"Waaahhh! Kohaku if-if you hadn't-I would've-"

"You're alive! Thank goodness, it worked!" She hugged him out of relief, although she was normally annoyed with the shameless blond; to her he was still a precious friend and a valuable member of their team.

"Thank youuuuu..." he continued crying against her chest.

"There's no need for thanks. I would've done anything to save you." She reassured rubbing his back. The seconds turned to minutes and the male hadn't released his grip.

"Uhmmm Ginro, you could let go now..." she states, before Kinro appeared to take him away as he declared how proud he was of his little brother's achievements.

"I applaud you, lioness. Without your quick thinking Ginro would've died and Amaryllis wouldn't have had the opportunity to inform us." Senku praises, looking exhausted after having to make so much depetrifying liquid for everyone.

"That being said, you wagered on the possibility that we would win despite knowing how outnumbered we were. You certainly are reckless." He adds with a mocking smirk, to that she beams proudly with her retort.

"It's not just out of impulse that I came to that decision you know. To put it simply, you were there Senku; along with reliable allies. Therefore, I had no doubts that the Kingdom of Science would succeed." She states with utmost confidence, to which he only smiled with his arms crossed.

Soon, every villager was also depetrified finally establishing that the true village chief was of Soyuz's right. After recruiting the new village, they came to the task of making the revival fluid at a larger scale.

Then came about the having to depetrify their enemies whom they had placed in cells.

"I am no longer made of stone? You... freed me?" Mozu looks at Senku in astonishment.

"Did I somehow give the impression that I wouldn't?" The scientists asks while scratching his ear.

"Isn't that why you wanted the petrification stone, so that people like me wouldn't get in your way?" The warrior replies, and Senku scoffs.

"I believe you misunderstood, ideals such as weighing who should be depetrified and who shouldn't is cumbersome. I plan to depetrify _all_ of humanity, including people like you." Mozu stares at him, even more astonished.

_A man as smart as him would already have judged that the safest move was not to free me-or any of his enemies for that matter. And yet he chooses to disregard the danger that the others and myself, impose?_

_Much more, his ambitions of depetrifying every human in the world is going to take one hell of a long time._

"You're insane! How many years do you think it would take to achieve your ambition?" The male asks, hoping to make the scientist aware of the ridiculousness of his goal.

"Does that matter?" Senku asks while tilting his head, undeterred by the mountainous task up ahead.

"Whether you are foolish or brilliant, I can't decide..." the other mutters as he watches the scientist continue to revive everyone else who were trapped behind a metal cage. Mozu hears a familiar woman's voice laughing.

"When he sets a goal in his mind, he does everything to make sure it becomes true with absolute certainty. No matter how grueling of a task, that's just the kind of person Senku is." Mozu stares at Kohaku who appeared out of nowhere. She was gazing at the other male he just conversed with, her expression soft; highlighting the beautiful color of her eyes.

Then he remembers her words, as they were battling-right before she was turned to stone; no wonder, she was so difficult to entice. Mozu was sure that any other girl would've fallen head over heels for him; he was after all, the embodiment of what every woman wanted and yet she so strongly rejected him.

_"Real strength is strength of the heart. Men who for what they believe in, will keep putting one foot in front of the other chipping away at progress._

_That is the kinda man I'm into."_

"I understand now, Kohaku-chan..." he starts. "So this, is the man you have deemed worthy of your affections." He glances at Senku. The girl was confused and followed his trail of sight resulting with her furious denial.

"Hah? Senku?"

"A man of strong heart, willing to chip away at progress for what he believes in; that is what you told me. And the one who fits that description is _him_." He points out, Kohaku could only stare dumbfounded by what he discovered. "Isn't he your ideal man?"

"W-well, now that I think about it..." She tries to hide the blush ensuing on her cheeks, and cupped her chin in thought. Having realized that Mozu was not wrong, nor that she herself had not considered the implication of her words. He chuckles at her face of contemplation, his cheek resting on his palm.

"Obliviousness, a side I never thought you would have. You impress me, Kohaku-chan.

Oddly enough you have this ability, that makes me want to claim you even more." She snaps away from her thought and replies.

"Huh? If this is your attempt at flirting, I gotta say it's effective." She crosses her arms while looking up. "At putting me off that is." The girl was definitely weaker than him, and yet the glare she musters had no inkling of doubt nor fear in them. Moments later, she changes her expression to that of a smirk-a look he knew to have seen before.

"Even if I fall for your charms, there is no way you're getting out of that cell. Loyalty is the strength of _my_ heart. _You_ of all people should know that." She condescendingly states, as if declaring to him that the same shtick hadn't worked the first time. And then she left the man, boiling with rage.

During the process of making a larger scale production of the infinite revival fluid, the village improved upon its technological advances. Kohaku could tell that the village was becoming more and more grateful each day, much like with her own village after Senku had cured her sister and became village chief.

Of course having known him for years, she could tell that he calculated every effort he made to gain their cooperation. Yet she still had the feeling that perhaps there was more to his actions than what he lets on. Besides, even the elders back in her village had the same thought.

For some odd coincidence, she found herself alone with him one night as he went over his plans.

"You and Gen are alike, you know?" The girl tells him; her eyes looking up at the bright moon.

"Hmm? In what way would I be similar with the mentalist?" He replies, not really caring enough to turn his head.

"You both have masks of pride. Perhaps I am being naive but I think you are a genuinely kind person.

And though it is logical of you to help others in order to grow your Kingdom for manpower. At the end of the day, that's just an excuse for you to save face. That's what I think, anyways." Kohaku laughs sheepishly, not exactly knowing why she decided to tell him.

"What did you intend to gain from telling me all this?" He asks, a little surprised but also worried. For a man to praise another man to his face was full of ulterior motives. Yet a woman doing the same thing entailed-

"Oh nothing... Guess I found another reason as to why I like you so much." Kohaku shrugs, not fully comprehending the implication of her words.

"...another reason?" Senku finally put his plans down in order to focus on the girl's words.

"A-as a person, I mean! I could never be attracted to someone as cold and arrogant as you!" She quickly follows, remembering that she had done the same thing three years ago. He scoffs with his arms crossed and a mocking smile playing on his lips. A signature pose she was all too familiar with.

"You say that Gen and I wear masks yet you are no better at being honest than us, lioness.

After all, what you _really_ meant to say. Was the exact opposite of what you just said." To that, her eyes went wide in horror but changed into that of irritation.

"Is your arrogance getting to you? Bold of you to assume-"

"It is no mere assumption. I heard you say it with my own ears." He declares while his index finger pointed to his right ear.

"When did I ever-" He cuts her off again.

"You _really_ are amazing.

You infiltrated enemy lines undercover, detonated a bomb to acquire platinum, gathered valuable information-almost got killed in the process. And _still_ found the time to discuss minuscule topics such as your crush-with our enemy no less." She kept her mouth shut after realizing she was found out. Probably from when Mozu decided to blatantly point out her implications.

"Don't get me wrong lioness, this wouldn't be the first time you outwardly expressed your infatuation of me. You even did it the first time we met.

It makes me question if you had ulterior motives when you kissed me to get Kirisame off our backs."

"I am not desperate! And that was Gen's idea!" _Crap._ To think she'd be busted before she even made it clear in her own mind whether or not she actually liked him.

"A man of strong heart, willing to chip away at progress for what he believes in.

Gotta say, I _am_ flattered that you think of me so highly but-"

"Stop... I get the hint Senku." She cuts him off this time, yet the calmness in her voice caught him by surprise. Never had he heard her voice sound so fragile. Kohaku turned ready to jump through the window, only to be stopped by him speaking once more.

"I was worried you know. I loose my ship, my allies were turned to stone, then my best warrior had undergone the same fate. Even after that, our plan went south despite all our preparations. We were forced having to rely on one unknown variable to the next. However as a leader, I couldn't let any of that get to me.

But after everything that happened, I was really happy to hear that you believed in me so wholeheartedly.

You always did, even when we first met." She was touched to hear him open up for once. And the sincerity in his voice didn't help to calm her rapidly beating heart.

She felt his hand grab her shoulder and turned her to face him.

"Kohaku...

If I were to save humanity and rebuild civilization from scratch, can I honestly hope that you'd still be waiting for me after?" He asked, no sense of joking or mocking on his expression. She blinks, unable to process what was occurring.

She was sure that Senku never seemed to be attracted to anyone, much less her. But from what was happening she realizes that it is not so much that he doesn't _feel_ anything. It was more so due to the fact that he still had a goal in his mind. And she'd feel bad if she were to disrupt him from what he was meant to do.

"Stupid, you aren't the only one whose busy saving the world. Besides, I'm not even sure of _how I feel_. However, even if I come to the conclusion that I do like you-I won't let myself get in your way because _we_ are saving humanity _together_!

That's why I'm determined to wait, 10 billion percent!" She hadn't even realized that she just said his catchphrase. He scoffs a little but smiles in content.

"I hope you're prepared, because this will be the ultimate test of your heart.

Although it's _actually _your brain that activates feelings of love specifically the hypothalamus, people just assumed it was related due to hormones accelerating the heart's beating-"

"I get it Senku... so is this a promise?" She asks tilting her head. He contemplates for a second and shrugs.

"It could be, but I would prefer we call it a commitment." Senku says in a serious tone that made her blush.

"O-okay." She looks to the side, noting the rapid beating of her heart once again. _I didn't think he'd take it this seriously._

"Hey lioness."

"Don't call me-" Kohaku was about to berate him but stopped mid-sentence when she realizes he was so close that their noses were touching. "That..." She finishes and swallows her saliva from nervousness. The girl couldn't help but look at his lips that were so dangerously close to hers.

"This is just my curiosity but you are welcome to stop me anytime." He states whilst cupping her cheek. Slowly he leans in with eyes closed, Kohaku was tense but didn't move to stop him. When the contact was made, she starts to relax and eases into the kiss-closing her eyes as well. It was a quick and simple chaste kiss, still it made her feel lightheaded but in a good way.

"Think of it as reassurance, the road map to save humanity is excruciatingly long." He explains and moves away.

"I already said, I'd wait. But I appreciate it, nonetheless." She answers, watching him return to his work. Giddiness fills her chest and she wonders when she can experience it again. "Just out of curiosity, how often should I expect to be reassured?" The woman innocently asks to which Senku smirks.

"Depends on how often you'll find me alone." He replies, side glancing to see her reaction but never fully turning his head.

She pouts at his response. "That's alright, I already made it clear that I didn't want to get in your way. In fact, I'm probably distracting you just for being here. I should leave-"

"No, your presence isn't a bother at all. Stay." He quickly dismisses her thought.

_Staying up so late all the time gets lonely, I guess. _She thinks and was even more so determined to remain close by.

And stay she did.


End file.
